1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ligation devices and methods, and more particularly to devices and methods for accurately locating and ligating an anatomical vessel.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The Doppler effect is currently utilized in many fields. For example, Doppler stethoscopes and Doppler wands are currently utilized to listen to the blood flow within the anatomical structures in patients, especially in mammalian patients. Continuous wave Doppler sound signals are used to identify blood vessels, but do not provide feedback as to the distance of the vessel from the Doppler probe used. Pulsed wave Doppler has been used to identify blood vessels and, in conjunction with two dimensional (2D) imaging systems, identify the distance to a blood vessel and blood flow characteristics. Ultrasound systems with Doppler imaging are also currently used in medical fields, and typically produce gray-scale two-dimensional images. The addition of Doppler processing allows for the evaluation of fluid flow velocities through fluid conduits within the patient, and the relative position of these vessels to other anatomical structures.
Ligation devices have previously been proposed. These prior ligation devices have typically been used in laparascopic procedures, and have typically required that the anatomical feature of interest be dissected or visualized prior to ligation of that feature. Other ligation devices require the penetration of a tissue bundle encapsulating the anatomical vessel in order to perform location and ligation of the vessel.
The tissue of the vaginal wall is very elastic, pliable, and flexible. The vaginal wall can made to assume different shapes without tearing and without significant patient discomfort or pain. Heretofore, this inherent characteristic of these tissues has not been utilized in the area of tissue ligation.